|
Artist Notes:
|
The ups and downs of the Purim story end with the triumph of the Jewish nation over their Persian enemies. Queen Esther played an important role in this reversal of luck. The Hebrew for this concept of changed luck, or turnaround, is inscribed on this card. This design focuses on the two queens in the Purim story, Esther, and her foil, Vashti. It is a play on motifs found in a deck of cards, in keeping with Purim themes of playfulness and fortune. The queen card shows Esther triumphant, holding a myrtle flower, a symbol related to the meaning of her second name Hadassah. The bottom half shows Vashti, the Persian queen who lost her life at the whim of the king, holding a Persian-style flower that is falling apart. The heart symbol is complete for Esther but broken for Vashti. The queens are decorated with patterns related to their flower and heart symbols.
|
